Over the course of the semester, I feel that I have learned a lot about not only diverse literature, but about how I will think about diverse literature, as well as diversity in my future classroom. This class and the readings in the course pack showed me the importance of looking at literature from different angles, and to consider the context in which certain things are written. I know I did not learn everything I need to know about different cultures, but I learned to look at literature in a way that I had not before. I now realize the importance of using outside sources to educate myself on different topics that I am unfamiliar with. I also learned through personal experience how literature can affect a person/student. I never had the opportunity to read about Arab characters in my experience as an elementary or secondary student. However, reading Habibi and doing my final project on Arab American literature allowed me to see a piece of myself through fictional characters. I was able to relate to these characters, their families and their ways of life. This was such a neat experience and I found myself literally smiling as I was reading because I felt apart of the story(s). From this, I see the importance of allowing my future students to have this same experience where they can read about characters who they might be able to see themselves in. Also, what might even be more beneficial about diverse literature is how one can relate to a character that may might now have normally thought they could relate to. I think that reading diverse literature can help people empathize with those who are from different backgrounds, and foster deeper understanding and tolerance for others. I think a great example of this was in the novel Bronx Masquerade. In this book, students who thought their classmates were very different from them realized that they are alike in many other ways that goes deeper than outside appearance. I would like my future students to come to these kinds of realizations, and I think diverse literature is a great way to promote this.
Looking over my papers I see how I was able to look at literature in a way that is critical. I really liked all of the books that we read for this course, and would likely use all of them in my own classroom. However, writing these papers showed me that even good literature can have bias and be stereotypical when looked at from different points of view. This class taught me the importance of using outside sources, or complementary pieces of literature to go along with novels on diversity. What I also really like about all of these books is that regardless of their diverse content, they were all enjoyable to read. If I can find enjoyable diverse literature for my students, hopefully it will create a community where diverse students enjoy each other’s differences, and also their similarities.
My biggest concerns come from my lack of understanding of how to distinguish between culture such as what country or region of the world one might come from, and how to distinguish between religions. This is something I struggle with and find difficult because I feel like there is a lot of overlapping. In my opinion, I feel like it is harder for people to be accepting of religious diversity than it is of country background. I don’t really know how to word this, but this just shows my concern for the future. Just as an example, I get confused when people identify themselves as Jewish. If I am Catholic and Lebanese, do I identify myself as Catholic, or Lebanese? I think these are two completely different things, because one shows my faith while the other shows my ancestry. Personally, I feel that my faith is my own personal business, while ancestry is more obvious or understandable to ask about because of how I/others look. I usually say that I am “half Italian and half Lebanese” because this shows my ancestry. I do not usually think to say “Catholic” until someone asked me if I am Muslim because they find out that I am Lebanese. So, when someone says that they are Jewish, I think that they practice Judaism, but this does not tell me what country they are from. So, when teaching about diversity to we teach about religion or ancestry, or both? Probably both, but when is talking about different religions too political for public schools? I also have this concern for GLBTQ issues. I think that this is a very hard topic to discuss with students, but it is also something that I want to be able to discuss with students. However, I am concerned that I will not be able to do so in the future because of school district restrictions and fear of losing a job or being harassed by parents. Then what if you have a student who is gay and from a different background from the rest of the class? How are they going to identify themselves? I guess all these things show how people can have multiple ways of identifying themselves. Which is also why it is important to have multiple kinds of diverse literature for students to read.
Overall, I really enjoyed this class and regardless of my concerns, I think it gave me the tools necessary to try and answer some of my questions. I now have a broader sense of what diversity is, and that it is not limited to only ones ancestry, religion or sexual orientation. I now know that outside sources can help me and my students to understand a piece of literature in a better way, and that discussion can also promote acceptance in a classroom.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Book Review: Sami and the Time of the Troubles
Heide, Florence, and Gilliland, Judith. Sami and the Time of the Troubles. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1992.
Sami and the Time of the Troubles tells the story of a ten year old Lebanese boy named Sami who is living in “the time of the troubles” in Beirut, Lebanon. The book is written by Parry Heide and insider author Judith Heide Gilliland who lived in the Middle East and has a master’s degree in Near Eastern languages and literature. This story does an excellent job of depicting what life was like during the time of the Lebanese Civil War which lasted from 1975-1990.
Sami along with his mother, sister and grandfather hides in the basement of his uncle’s house, sometimes for days or weeks at a time when it is not safe to be outside due to “guns and bombs.” On quiet days, or days with no fighting, people can go about their normal lives of work, school and going to the market. On the days when it is not quiet, the family hides in the basesment and the reader experiences both the physical and emotional terrors that people of all ages go through in wartime. Sami’s grandfather tells stories of how it used to be peaceful, and how there was not always fighting. The grandfather also tells about the day the children marched in the streets to protest the fighting, and at the end of the story Sami is left with the feeling that if the children march in the streets again, it might help the fighting to stop. At the end of the story the family listens to the radio once again on a bad night, reminding the reader of the harsh reality of the war.
The full bleed illustrations in the novel do an excellent job of complementing the text and telling Sami’s story. On the days with no fighting, the illustrations are bright and uplifting, whereas on the days when there is fighting, the illustrations are set on a black background and are very somber. The illustrations also do an excellent job of giving the reader a glimpse into the Arab culture through the small details. For example, the small illustrations of food in the background show traditional Arabic dishes and the buildings show the same kind of architecture that you would actually see in Beirut. Also, some of the characters are dressed in a way that many Christians would dress in the Middle East, and some are dressed in a way that many Muslims would dress, which depicts an accurate description of the cultural differences within this part of the world.
I found this to be a great piece of diverse literature. Although it is about wartime and includes the fact that there is fighting in the Middle East, it does so in a way that represents Arabs positively. The common thought that there is always fighting in the Middle East can lead to many stereotypes about Arab people, but this story tells about how there was not always fighting, which can help to break stereotypes. The story shows a loving family who wants to see the fighting stop, and disregards any religious or political ideas that could easily be misconstrued though literature. I found the focus of this story to be on the harsh reality of war, and how the human spirit, no matter what age, can be affected by it.
To go along with my review, I thought I would add some personal insight into this story. After reading this story, I thought that it was a historically correct represenation of what people went through during the Lebanese Civil War. To confirm this, I called my cousin and read him the story to get his personal take on what he thought about it. The text does not actually say anything about Lebanon, or when the story takes place except for in “the time of the troubles.” However, the copyright page informs the reader that this story takes place in Lebanon during the Civil War. My cousin, now 29, grew up just north of Beirut in the middle of the war. He said that his experiences were very similar to those of Sami. This confirmed to me that the text is accurate and represents a true depiction of many Arab people. He said that there were times when they would be in hiding for days at a time and come out to find buildings destroyed and lives lost. However, like the story says, on the quiet days people did go about life as “normally” as they could. The story is also historically correct in the context of the grandfather who says that life was peaceful before the times of the troubles. Someone old enough to remember life before 1975 in Lebanon would remember very peaceful times in a beautiful country. The experiences and emotions of the fictional character Sami are very typical of the real life experiences of many people Arab people, and this story would be a great one to discuss with students!
Sami and the Time of the Troubles tells the story of a ten year old Lebanese boy named Sami who is living in “the time of the troubles” in Beirut, Lebanon. The book is written by Parry Heide and insider author Judith Heide Gilliland who lived in the Middle East and has a master’s degree in Near Eastern languages and literature. This story does an excellent job of depicting what life was like during the time of the Lebanese Civil War which lasted from 1975-1990.
Sami along with his mother, sister and grandfather hides in the basement of his uncle’s house, sometimes for days or weeks at a time when it is not safe to be outside due to “guns and bombs.” On quiet days, or days with no fighting, people can go about their normal lives of work, school and going to the market. On the days when it is not quiet, the family hides in the basesment and the reader experiences both the physical and emotional terrors that people of all ages go through in wartime. Sami’s grandfather tells stories of how it used to be peaceful, and how there was not always fighting. The grandfather also tells about the day the children marched in the streets to protest the fighting, and at the end of the story Sami is left with the feeling that if the children march in the streets again, it might help the fighting to stop. At the end of the story the family listens to the radio once again on a bad night, reminding the reader of the harsh reality of the war.
The full bleed illustrations in the novel do an excellent job of complementing the text and telling Sami’s story. On the days with no fighting, the illustrations are bright and uplifting, whereas on the days when there is fighting, the illustrations are set on a black background and are very somber. The illustrations also do an excellent job of giving the reader a glimpse into the Arab culture through the small details. For example, the small illustrations of food in the background show traditional Arabic dishes and the buildings show the same kind of architecture that you would actually see in Beirut. Also, some of the characters are dressed in a way that many Christians would dress in the Middle East, and some are dressed in a way that many Muslims would dress, which depicts an accurate description of the cultural differences within this part of the world.
I found this to be a great piece of diverse literature. Although it is about wartime and includes the fact that there is fighting in the Middle East, it does so in a way that represents Arabs positively. The common thought that there is always fighting in the Middle East can lead to many stereotypes about Arab people, but this story tells about how there was not always fighting, which can help to break stereotypes. The story shows a loving family who wants to see the fighting stop, and disregards any religious or political ideas that could easily be misconstrued though literature. I found the focus of this story to be on the harsh reality of war, and how the human spirit, no matter what age, can be affected by it.
To go along with my review, I thought I would add some personal insight into this story. After reading this story, I thought that it was a historically correct represenation of what people went through during the Lebanese Civil War. To confirm this, I called my cousin and read him the story to get his personal take on what he thought about it. The text does not actually say anything about Lebanon, or when the story takes place except for in “the time of the troubles.” However, the copyright page informs the reader that this story takes place in Lebanon during the Civil War. My cousin, now 29, grew up just north of Beirut in the middle of the war. He said that his experiences were very similar to those of Sami. This confirmed to me that the text is accurate and represents a true depiction of many Arab people. He said that there were times when they would be in hiding for days at a time and come out to find buildings destroyed and lives lost. However, like the story says, on the quiet days people did go about life as “normally” as they could. The story is also historically correct in the context of the grandfather who says that life was peaceful before the times of the troubles. Someone old enough to remember life before 1975 in Lebanon would remember very peaceful times in a beautiful country. The experiences and emotions of the fictional character Sami are very typical of the real life experiences of many people Arab people, and this story would be a great one to discuss with students!
Project Reflection
I think that overall, this set of texts represents Arabs in a positive and diversified way. Each of the books has a different theme, but I think a main theme that relates all of them is the idea of family. Especially the three books “Sami and the Time of the Troubles,” “Sitti’s Secrets” and “Magid Fasts for Ramadan.” Each of these stories, although about completely different things, all relates to the importance of family in the Arab culture. Other themes that cross all of these selections are bravery, generosity, love and faith. I think that all of the books represent Arabs, no matter what religion they practice, as people who face struggles but who are positive and strong through these struggles. Also, with all of the religious turmoil happening in the Middle East, I was happy to feel that when I was reading these stories, they did not focus on religion necessarily. “Magid Fasts for Ramadan” and “Muhammad” are both clearly to inform the reader about Islam, but they do not do so in a way that “promotes” a certain religion as being better, or the “right” one. Although from context you can guess or possibly figure out what religion the characters are in the other three books, the text does not specifically mention it. This allows the reader to see the bigger theme of a positive look at the Arab culture and its people, rather than trying to make a religious statement or blame the underlying problems of what the characters are going through in these stories on religion. All of these texts are engaging and are accompanied by beautiful pictures that help the reader to visual what life might be like in the Middle East. The article that I found compliments the texts well, and I think that the criteria that was mentioned for picking good Arab literature was found in these books.
I would consider myself somewhat of an insider because of certain experiences that I have had due to my Lebanese heritage. Reading these books, especially “Sitti’s Secrets” literally made me smile in parts because I found them so easy to relate to. I never had these experiences with Arab literature growing up, but it is definitely something that I want to give my future students. I want books in my classroom that will help them relate to their own culture or identity. I would put any of these stories in my future classroom to share with students because I think in somehow, all of these books represent the Arab people and Arab culture in a very positive and teachable way.
I would consider myself somewhat of an insider because of certain experiences that I have had due to my Lebanese heritage. Reading these books, especially “Sitti’s Secrets” literally made me smile in parts because I found them so easy to relate to. I never had these experiences with Arab literature growing up, but it is definitely something that I want to give my future students. I want books in my classroom that will help them relate to their own culture or identity. I would put any of these stories in my future classroom to share with students because I think in somehow, all of these books represent the Arab people and Arab culture in a very positive and teachable way.
Article: "Celebrating Diversity Through Explorations of Arab Children's Literature"
Celebrating Diversity Through Explorations of Arab Children's Literature Tami Al-Hazza, Bob Lucking. Childhood Education. Olney:Spring 2007. Vol. 83, Iss. 3, p. 132-135 (4 pp.)
The scholarly article that I chose to inform my book choices is called “Celebrating Diversity Through Explorations of Arab Children’s Literature” and it is written by Tami Al-Hazza and Bob Lucking. The article begins by informing the reader on facts about Arab Americans that are commonly unknown. For example, a common stereotype of Arab Americans is that they are uneducated, when the reality is that percentage wise, more Arab Americans hold degrees than Americans do. The article also clears up some common misconceptions such as how the words “Arab” and “Muslim” are not interchangeable. It also talks about how Arab Americans, especially since the September 11th attacks, have been stereotyped and portrayed as villains in the media. These were all good facts and stereotypes to be mentioned in my opinion. However, one thing that I did not like about this article was the following: “Arab communities also contain significant populations of Copts, Melokies, Christians, Jews, Druze, and Maronites, this diversity of faith is due, in part, to the fact that the majority of Arab countries place no restrictions on freedom of worship” (Al-Hazza, Lucking, 132). This is not necessarily wrong, but I find it very misleading. I feel that when one reads these sentences they could form the belief that the listed religions are different when in fact some of them do not hold different beliefs. Someone who is Maronite or Melokite is Christian. The Catholic Church (which is Christian) has 7 rites to it, and two of these rites are Maronite and Melokite. Someone who is an Egyptian Copt is also a Christian. I felt that the way this sentence was worded, made it seem like Maronite, Melokite and Copt was different from Christian because Jews and Druze are not Christian, and are included on this list. Most Melokites come from either Syria or Lebanon, and most Maronites come from Lebanon, but they are both Christian/Catholic. Druze is not Muslim or Christian, but the beliefs are close to that of someone who practices Islam. Many Druze reside in the mountains of Lebanon, bordering Syria and Israel. There was a course-pack reading assigned by these two authors in the semester, and it had this same misleading comment as well. The article goes on to say that the stereotypical view of Arabs stems much from a lack of perspective told from Arab people. It suggests that one way to change this is through Arab children’s literature, which can promote acceptance.
The article then goes on to tell about traditional, contemporary and historical Arab literature and the good books that are out there on these topics. It lists numerous books that portray Arabs as generous, respecting, family oriented, and accepting people. Arabian tales/fairy tales are also suggested as a good resource to share with students in the classroom as they can broaden children’s cultural horizons. Some suggested books in the article include Sitti and the Cats, Noble Prince of Islam, A Peddler’s Dream and Ahmed’s Secrets. The article also tells of how it is important, yet challenging to pick good Arab literature and that both the author’s and the illustrator’s credentials must be examined. Something that they say is important to look for is the relationship between the characters. Also, stereotypes should not be reinforced through text or illustrations such as women always having they head’s covered with a scarf.
Towards the end of the article, the authors make this statement: “Teachers who show respect for ethnic and cultural pluralism are more likely to have students who are similarly inclined” (Al-Hazza, Lucking, 135). Regardless of the topic, I think that as a future teacher, this is something that I will always/and should always remember.
The scholarly article that I chose to inform my book choices is called “Celebrating Diversity Through Explorations of Arab Children’s Literature” and it is written by Tami Al-Hazza and Bob Lucking. The article begins by informing the reader on facts about Arab Americans that are commonly unknown. For example, a common stereotype of Arab Americans is that they are uneducated, when the reality is that percentage wise, more Arab Americans hold degrees than Americans do. The article also clears up some common misconceptions such as how the words “Arab” and “Muslim” are not interchangeable. It also talks about how Arab Americans, especially since the September 11th attacks, have been stereotyped and portrayed as villains in the media. These were all good facts and stereotypes to be mentioned in my opinion. However, one thing that I did not like about this article was the following: “Arab communities also contain significant populations of Copts, Melokies, Christians, Jews, Druze, and Maronites, this diversity of faith is due, in part, to the fact that the majority of Arab countries place no restrictions on freedom of worship” (Al-Hazza, Lucking, 132). This is not necessarily wrong, but I find it very misleading. I feel that when one reads these sentences they could form the belief that the listed religions are different when in fact some of them do not hold different beliefs. Someone who is Maronite or Melokite is Christian. The Catholic Church (which is Christian) has 7 rites to it, and two of these rites are Maronite and Melokite. Someone who is an Egyptian Copt is also a Christian. I felt that the way this sentence was worded, made it seem like Maronite, Melokite and Copt was different from Christian because Jews and Druze are not Christian, and are included on this list. Most Melokites come from either Syria or Lebanon, and most Maronites come from Lebanon, but they are both Christian/Catholic. Druze is not Muslim or Christian, but the beliefs are close to that of someone who practices Islam. Many Druze reside in the mountains of Lebanon, bordering Syria and Israel. There was a course-pack reading assigned by these two authors in the semester, and it had this same misleading comment as well. The article goes on to say that the stereotypical view of Arabs stems much from a lack of perspective told from Arab people. It suggests that one way to change this is through Arab children’s literature, which can promote acceptance.
The article then goes on to tell about traditional, contemporary and historical Arab literature and the good books that are out there on these topics. It lists numerous books that portray Arabs as generous, respecting, family oriented, and accepting people. Arabian tales/fairy tales are also suggested as a good resource to share with students in the classroom as they can broaden children’s cultural horizons. Some suggested books in the article include Sitti and the Cats, Noble Prince of Islam, A Peddler’s Dream and Ahmed’s Secrets. The article also tells of how it is important, yet challenging to pick good Arab literature and that both the author’s and the illustrator’s credentials must be examined. Something that they say is important to look for is the relationship between the characters. Also, stereotypes should not be reinforced through text or illustrations such as women always having they head’s covered with a scarf.
Towards the end of the article, the authors make this statement: “Teachers who show respect for ethnic and cultural pluralism are more likely to have students who are similarly inclined” (Al-Hazza, Lucking, 135). Regardless of the topic, I think that as a future teacher, this is something that I will always/and should always remember.
Review: Magid Fasts for Ramadan
Matthews, Mary. Magid Fasts for Ramadan. New York, 1996.
Magid Fasts for Ramadan is a small chapter book about a young boy in modern day Egypt who secretly tries to fast for Ramadan like the rest of his family. He is too young to fast for Ramadan, but wants to be an obedient Muslim like his relatives. Magid hides that he is fasting by asking to eat his meals outside, and then feeding them to the geese. Due to him fasting, he gets very hungry during iftar, which is the time at night that Muslims are allowed to eat during Ramadan. He is eventually caught by his sister, who tells her parents. The parents are disappointed, but know that in the future he will be a very obedient Muslim. The illustrations that go along with this story are very modern and give the feel of an everyday Muslim family that you would see today.
The author Mary Mattews was born in England and is not Muslim; however she has traveled to the Middle East, has an M.A. in Religion and studies Arabic languages. Aside over using the word “obedient” which can come off has too harsh or too strict, this book does a good job of representing Arabs through literature. The story explains how it can be hard for Muslims in other countries that are not Muslim countries to follow Ramadan. Through this the reader might be more inclined to empathize with Muslims in the future who are trying to strictly follow Ramadan. The book is also very informative of common terms and practices that are useful to know about the religion Islam while simultaneously entertaining the reader through the young Magid who makes decisions that all young boys regardless of background would probably make. The family is very loving and faithful to their religion, without being overbearing. I think this is a good representation of practicing Muslims as a loving and caring people.
Magid Fasts for Ramadan is a small chapter book about a young boy in modern day Egypt who secretly tries to fast for Ramadan like the rest of his family. He is too young to fast for Ramadan, but wants to be an obedient Muslim like his relatives. Magid hides that he is fasting by asking to eat his meals outside, and then feeding them to the geese. Due to him fasting, he gets very hungry during iftar, which is the time at night that Muslims are allowed to eat during Ramadan. He is eventually caught by his sister, who tells her parents. The parents are disappointed, but know that in the future he will be a very obedient Muslim. The illustrations that go along with this story are very modern and give the feel of an everyday Muslim family that you would see today.
The author Mary Mattews was born in England and is not Muslim; however she has traveled to the Middle East, has an M.A. in Religion and studies Arabic languages. Aside over using the word “obedient” which can come off has too harsh or too strict, this book does a good job of representing Arabs through literature. The story explains how it can be hard for Muslims in other countries that are not Muslim countries to follow Ramadan. Through this the reader might be more inclined to empathize with Muslims in the future who are trying to strictly follow Ramadan. The book is also very informative of common terms and practices that are useful to know about the religion Islam while simultaneously entertaining the reader through the young Magid who makes decisions that all young boys regardless of background would probably make. The family is very loving and faithful to their religion, without being overbearing. I think this is a good representation of practicing Muslims as a loving and caring people.
Review: Muhammad
Demi. Muhammad. New York: McElderry Books, 2003.
Muhammad is an informational children’s picture book about the Prophet Muhammad. The story begins by telling the story of how Muhammad was born in Mecca and taken to the desert to be raised by a nurse for five years and be in the open air because this is what would make a child strong. Muhammad’s mother died when he was six, and so he was taken in by his grandfather who believed his grandson would be a great leader one day and later by his uncle. The story then tells of how on a journey to Syria, Muhammad was met a Christian hermit who predicting that Muhammad would become a great prophet. Muhammad was an honest man who spent much of his time thinking about the world around him and how people should treat one another fairly. One night he receives a revelation from God, and the story goes on to tell about the rest of his life and how he was God’s messenger and how he strenghtened the voice of Islam by converting followers and sharing the words of the Koran. He was brought to God’s light and learned about the five daily prayers that followers were to make. He built a mosque, made many journeys and granted religious tolerance to Christians and Jewish people. The illustrations that accompany this text are done in a very thoughtful way. Demi does not “create graven images” which is in Islamic tradition a commandment, but she rather uses a shadow like image (a “Persian miniature”) throughout the text with no intention of competing with God as Creator. The illustrations are bright, colorful and express the Prophet Muhammad and his followers in a positive way.
This is an excellent diverse piece of informational literature. This story is just as much entertaining as it is informational. Regardless of religion, sex, or age, all people can benefit from reading this story. It is done in a very tactful way which does not give bias to any one religion. Rather it gives fact and promotes peace and tolerance amongst and for other religions. This story shows the Prophet’s life from an early age, and allows the reader to follow his life journey which gives a better understanding of Islam. Throughout this journey he encounters people of different religions and there is never any conflict in these encounters. This is an excellent example for all people, especially students when the unfortunate amount of religious intolerance in this world is taken into account. This would be a great book to use to not only learn from, but also to promote tolerance with.
Muhammad is an informational children’s picture book about the Prophet Muhammad. The story begins by telling the story of how Muhammad was born in Mecca and taken to the desert to be raised by a nurse for five years and be in the open air because this is what would make a child strong. Muhammad’s mother died when he was six, and so he was taken in by his grandfather who believed his grandson would be a great leader one day and later by his uncle. The story then tells of how on a journey to Syria, Muhammad was met a Christian hermit who predicting that Muhammad would become a great prophet. Muhammad was an honest man who spent much of his time thinking about the world around him and how people should treat one another fairly. One night he receives a revelation from God, and the story goes on to tell about the rest of his life and how he was God’s messenger and how he strenghtened the voice of Islam by converting followers and sharing the words of the Koran. He was brought to God’s light and learned about the five daily prayers that followers were to make. He built a mosque, made many journeys and granted religious tolerance to Christians and Jewish people. The illustrations that accompany this text are done in a very thoughtful way. Demi does not “create graven images” which is in Islamic tradition a commandment, but she rather uses a shadow like image (a “Persian miniature”) throughout the text with no intention of competing with God as Creator. The illustrations are bright, colorful and express the Prophet Muhammad and his followers in a positive way.
This is an excellent diverse piece of informational literature. This story is just as much entertaining as it is informational. Regardless of religion, sex, or age, all people can benefit from reading this story. It is done in a very tactful way which does not give bias to any one religion. Rather it gives fact and promotes peace and tolerance amongst and for other religions. This story shows the Prophet’s life from an early age, and allows the reader to follow his life journey which gives a better understanding of Islam. Throughout this journey he encounters people of different religions and there is never any conflict in these encounters. This is an excellent example for all people, especially students when the unfortunate amount of religious intolerance in this world is taken into account. This would be a great book to use to not only learn from, but also to promote tolerance with.
Book Review: The Librarian of Basra
Winter, Jeanette. The Librarian of Basra. New York: Harcout Inc, 2004.
Author info:
Harcourt, Inc. "Interview with Jeanette Winter." 4/21/2008.
The Librarian of Basra is the true story of Alia Muhammad Baker, a female librarian in Basra, Iraq. Author and illustrator Jeanette Winter wrote this story after reading an article about it in the New York Times. Although not an Arab insider, Winter informed herself about Iraq through research and doing things such as listening to Middle Eastern music while she worked.
The story tells of how Alia Baker saved about seventy percent of the books in the library in Basra after attacks in this Iraqi city. Her love for books and lack of help from government officials caused this brave librarian to transport the books to safety. With the help of some friends, she transferred books from the library to her home, friend’s homes and a friend’s restaurant in order to protect them from being destroyed from attacks in the current war in Iraq. Although the library burns down, most of the books are saved! This is a modern story, and the illustrations represent this. Although they could possibly be interpretted as disturbing by some due to pictures of buildings on fire and bombs, the pictures show the reality that buildings are constantly being destroyed in this war.
Although it does not give too much insight into the Arab culture, this is still an excellent piece of diverse literature as it shows the strength and bravery of an Arab woman. Arab women, especially Muslim women are often stereotype and treated as weak and powerless, but Alia Baker proves this wrong. The story also gives the sad but true depiction of some of the things that are being destroyed in Iraq as a result of the war. This book shows the strengh of an Arabic woman and can be inspiring to women and men of all ages.
Author info:
Harcourt, Inc. "Interview with Jeanette Winter." 4/21/2008
The Librarian of Basra is the true story of Alia Muhammad Baker, a female librarian in Basra, Iraq. Author and illustrator Jeanette Winter wrote this story after reading an article about it in the New York Times. Although not an Arab insider, Winter informed herself about Iraq through research and doing things such as listening to Middle Eastern music while she worked.
The story tells of how Alia Baker saved about seventy percent of the books in the library in Basra after attacks in this Iraqi city. Her love for books and lack of help from government officials caused this brave librarian to transport the books to safety. With the help of some friends, she transferred books from the library to her home, friend’s homes and a friend’s restaurant in order to protect them from being destroyed from attacks in the current war in Iraq. Although the library burns down, most of the books are saved! This is a modern story, and the illustrations represent this. Although they could possibly be interpretted as disturbing by some due to pictures of buildings on fire and bombs, the pictures show the reality that buildings are constantly being destroyed in this war.
Although it does not give too much insight into the Arab culture, this is still an excellent piece of diverse literature as it shows the strength and bravery of an Arab woman. Arab women, especially Muslim women are often stereotype and treated as weak and powerless, but Alia Baker proves this wrong. The story also gives the sad but true depiction of some of the things that are being destroyed in Iraq as a result of the war. This book shows the strengh of an Arabic woman and can be inspiring to women and men of all ages.
Book Review: Sitti's Secrets
Nye, Naomi. Sitti’s Secrets. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1994.
Written by an insider author, Sitti’s Secrets is a children’s picture book about a young girl named Mona whose grandmother lives on the otherside of the world. Mona and her father travel to the other side of the world to visit her sitti, which means grandmother in Arabic. Through this experience, Mona learns that she has much in common with her family who lives so far away. Mona learns about the food that they eat, interacts with her cousins/family even though they do not speak the same language, and learns about traditions that people have on the other side of the earth. Mona remembers her family when she gets home and knows that even though they live far away, they are still connected. When Mona and her father arrive back in the United States, she writes a letter to the President expressing her concern about what she saw on the news. She wishes for peace and says that if people could meet her sitti, they would really like her.
The text and colorful illustrations of this book show Arabic traditions, as well as show how people who might be different from us are still people that we can like and have things in common with. The illustrations show traditional food and dress of many Arabic people, as well as the common experiences of love and hope that people of all cultures share. The text also teaches the reader some common Arabic words which makes the story very authentic. I think this is a great piece of diverse literature because it gives insight into the Arabic culture and represents Arab people in a very positive way through examples of cultural tradtions. This book brought me back to my childhood when I would cook with my sitti, and reminded me of interactions I have had such as inventing “our own language” with my own family on the other side of the world.
Written by an insider author, Sitti’s Secrets is a children’s picture book about a young girl named Mona whose grandmother lives on the otherside of the world. Mona and her father travel to the other side of the world to visit her sitti, which means grandmother in Arabic. Through this experience, Mona learns that she has much in common with her family who lives so far away. Mona learns about the food that they eat, interacts with her cousins/family even though they do not speak the same language, and learns about traditions that people have on the other side of the earth. Mona remembers her family when she gets home and knows that even though they live far away, they are still connected. When Mona and her father arrive back in the United States, she writes a letter to the President expressing her concern about what she saw on the news. She wishes for peace and says that if people could meet her sitti, they would really like her.
The text and colorful illustrations of this book show Arabic traditions, as well as show how people who might be different from us are still people that we can like and have things in common with. The illustrations show traditional food and dress of many Arabic people, as well as the common experiences of love and hope that people of all cultures share. The text also teaches the reader some common Arabic words which makes the story very authentic. I think this is a great piece of diverse literature because it gives insight into the Arabic culture and represents Arab people in a very positive way through examples of cultural tradtions. This book brought me back to my childhood when I would cook with my sitti, and reminded me of interactions I have had such as inventing “our own language” with my own family on the other side of the world.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Readings for 4/16/2008: GLBTQ
I really liked the article “Out of the Closet and onto the Bookshelves” by Mari M. McLean and the article “Supporting Gay Teen Literature” by David Levithan. I think that the GLBTQ community and these articles can be looked at in a way that almost sums up this course. Many people in society might consider the GLBTQ community a more controversial community than other groups that we have studied, and I think that the articles recognize this. The articles do a great job of highlighting the fact that people like to feel like they are apart of a group, but also that we cannot over generalize or stereotype people based on this. This sense of identity is true for all cultures, not just GLBTQ. I started thinking these issues right away when reading the McLean article. “Some might argue that the reason references to homosexuals do not appear in many multicultural materials is that there is no ‘homosexual culture,’ because homosexuality has no racial or ethnic basis for existence” (McLean, 179). First, I would like to say that I agree when McLean says that “culture often transcends the boundaries of race and ethnicity” (179). I do think that the GLBTQ community should be considered a cultural group. However, in a certain way, I interpreted the first quote about how there is “no homosexual culture” to mean that homosexuals are individuals, rather than always being cast as an ethnic group. In a certain way (but not always) isn’t this a good thing? Reflecting upon all of the different diverse groups of people that we have learned about in this course, one thing that I came away with/one thing that was reinforced with my previous thoughts is to remember that people are individuals. There is not always an “insider,” and different “insiders” can have different view points about the same culture. Because of this, I feel that it is important to not make large generalizations about people, but to always remember that they are their own individual self, with their own thoughts, beliefs and personality traits. I think that looking at issues from this point of view that people are individuals can help decrease stereotypes. A social problem here is that some people deny GLBTQ of their culture, when they do recognize other “ethnic” or “racial” cultures that are different from their own as “real” cultures. This does pose a problem, however on the flip side this can lead to less stereotyping. If someone is not considered apart of the “gay” culture because the gay culture does not really exist to some people, then maybe they are actually saving individuals from the stereotypes that go along with being homosexual. If people from all cultures were not categorized, then maybe we would be a more accepting society. The problem with this however, is that by being “colorblind” or in the case of GLBTQ community seeing them as invisible, we then rob people of their identity. When I think about this, I see the pros and cons as a never ending cycle! I personally do not believe in being colorblind. I think that people should strive to understand others and recognize that we are different, but I can see the argument of trying to ignore this.
Another point that I really liked from the McLean article was the quote about the importance of literature. “Whether texts structure the reader’s experience or whether the reader’s experience structures the text, the fact is that the ignoring or denial of a group’s existence in literature invalidates the experience and self-identity of members of that group by rendering them invisible, not only to themselves, but to all other groups in a society. Aside from the self-identity point of this quote, what I really like is how McLean points out that the reader’s experience can be structured by the text, or the reader’s experience can structure the text. This just reinforces how all people/students can benefit from having diverse literature in the classroom. You do not necessarily need to have experience or knowledge of a cultural group to enjoy a piece of literature, because the text, if well written will give you this positive experience and allow the reader to empathize with characters who represent someone different than oneself. If the reader’s experience structures the text, then the reader now has something to identify with, which can give a sense of confidence and a feeling of acceptance. Looking back on when we read Habibi, my experience mostly structured the text. My whole life, I have had the opposite experience of what Liyana went through in the novel. She moved back to the old country and interacted with her family that was different from what she knew in America. About once a year from my personal experience, a family member(s) from Lebanon comes to visit, and a few years ago four of my cousins and my Aunt and Uncle moved to American from Lebanon. When reading Habibi, I kept seeing my own experiences through Liyana’s character and was literally imagining the characters as my own family members. Parts of the novel made me laugh because I had so much to identify with. On the flip side, novels such as Heart of a Chief, and Al Capone Does my Shirts allowed me to really empathize and try to understand struggles that a Native American or person with a disability/family member of a person with disabilities might face. It is often hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, but engaging literature is an excellent way of doing this. This is probably especially important for GLBTQ literature because so many people have such strong opinions about this group of people.
Finally, maybe the most important thing about the two readings for this week is that “being gay is not an issue, it is an identity. It is not something that you can agree or disagree with. It is a fact, and must be defended and represented as a fact” (Levithan, 1). As a future teacher, I will make an effort to have a representation of homosexual literature in my classroom because if someone identifies as something, no one has the right to tell them that they do not- and this is something that I think can be learned to be respected with the help of literature.
Another point that I really liked from the McLean article was the quote about the importance of literature. “Whether texts structure the reader’s experience or whether the reader’s experience structures the text, the fact is that the ignoring or denial of a group’s existence in literature invalidates the experience and self-identity of members of that group by rendering them invisible, not only to themselves, but to all other groups in a society. Aside from the self-identity point of this quote, what I really like is how McLean points out that the reader’s experience can be structured by the text, or the reader’s experience can structure the text. This just reinforces how all people/students can benefit from having diverse literature in the classroom. You do not necessarily need to have experience or knowledge of a cultural group to enjoy a piece of literature, because the text, if well written will give you this positive experience and allow the reader to empathize with characters who represent someone different than oneself. If the reader’s experience structures the text, then the reader now has something to identify with, which can give a sense of confidence and a feeling of acceptance. Looking back on when we read Habibi, my experience mostly structured the text. My whole life, I have had the opposite experience of what Liyana went through in the novel. She moved back to the old country and interacted with her family that was different from what she knew in America. About once a year from my personal experience, a family member(s) from Lebanon comes to visit, and a few years ago four of my cousins and my Aunt and Uncle moved to American from Lebanon. When reading Habibi, I kept seeing my own experiences through Liyana’s character and was literally imagining the characters as my own family members. Parts of the novel made me laugh because I had so much to identify with. On the flip side, novels such as Heart of a Chief, and Al Capone Does my Shirts allowed me to really empathize and try to understand struggles that a Native American or person with a disability/family member of a person with disabilities might face. It is often hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, but engaging literature is an excellent way of doing this. This is probably especially important for GLBTQ literature because so many people have such strong opinions about this group of people.
Finally, maybe the most important thing about the two readings for this week is that “being gay is not an issue, it is an identity. It is not something that you can agree or disagree with. It is a fact, and must be defended and represented as a fact” (Levithan, 1). As a future teacher, I will make an effort to have a representation of homosexual literature in my classroom because if someone identifies as something, no one has the right to tell them that they do not- and this is something that I think can be learned to be respected with the help of literature.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Confessions of a Closet Catholic Reactions
I really enjoyed reading Confessions of a Closet Catholic. The problem I had with it was my ignorance about different religions. I think that the book did a good job of highlighting some of the major beliefs/culture of Judaism, but what concerns me is that I do not know if there were stereotypes or not in the novel. However, regardless of religious beliefs or knowledge, the bigger message, and very positive message that I felt this novel sent was that it is possible to have an open mind and be accepting of other people and their religious beliefs. Justine and MAC were best friends even though they practiced different spiritual beliefs. They were both curious about each others religion and never made each other feel like one was more important/better than the other. Their parents were the same way. When Justine’s mother found out that Justine was a “Closet Catholic,” she never said that being Catholic was wrong; she was just disappointed because she raised Justine differently. Even the grandmother, a Holocaust survivor did not get angry. Although Justine’s family wanted her to remain Jewish, they never said anything wrong about Catholicism.
A personal story I have comes from when I was in
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